Archive for Event Planning

No matter if it’s a local Wisconsin wedding or a wedding in middle-of-nowhere America, nuptials are full of traditions that have been around forever. From the bridal gown to the groomsmen, the basic pieces of modern weddings have a place deeply rooted in history. While many wedding traditions speak of love and commitment, some traditions have some very interesting origins. For instance:

The Bouquet

Those beautiful flowers carried by the bride and bridesmaids had a more metaphysical purpose in the early days. In Ancient Greece a bride would carry a bouquet of herbs and spices to ward off evil spirits that might want to curse her on her big day. Thankfully today the herbs and spices are used in the food and replaced by bunches of roses and lilies.

The White Dress

While a fancy white dress has become the standard for brides everywhere, in history brides usually wore distinct colors like red and blue to attract good fortune. The lacy white dress was introduced by Queen Victoria at her wedding. In the 1800’s, white was seen as a color representing wealth and privilege and Victoria chose a white dress. Soon the popularity of a white dress for the bride took over creating the tradition celebrated today.

The Bridesmaids and Best Man

More than just supportive friends, the purpose of these wedding helpers was a little more brutal. The bridesmaids, in ancient culture, dressed like the bride to confuse any evil spirits and individuals wishing the bride any harm. They also acted as a physical protection for the bride as she traveled to her groom’s village.
The best man’s original purpose was to literally capture the bride. In ancient cultures, to ensure that the marriage actually happened, the groom would choose his “best man” (as in most capable) to go and kidnap the bride from her family and bring her to him in order to circumvent any opposition. Thankfully, wedding traditions such as hand to hand combat and abduction has been replaced by loving friends ready to help celebrate the big day.

The Wedding Ring

In ancient Jewish, Roman and Greek cultures the wedding ring was only worn by the bride. The ring was used as collateral to pay the father of the bride and mark the bride as taken property. Thankfully, the modern-day wearing of rings by both bride and groom show that they belong to each other as equals.
Whatever wedding traditions you choose for your big day, make it uniquely your own.

When planning a wedding don’t forget to add a little something for your guests; a little token of thanks to those who are sharing your special day. No matter which local Wisconsin Dells wedding venue you choose, formal or rustic, the wedding favors should be a little bit of love from the bride and groom. Some fun and elegant favor ideas are as follows;

Everyone loves a little something sweet and it’s even better when it comes in a cute bag or package. Candy is one of the most versatile wedding favors. It can be high-end and elegant chocolates, or fun and funky hard candy mixes. Choose a packaging that reflects your theme with a little personalized message. Adding little bags of candy for your guests is a fun and easy little gift.

Christmas ornaments or little trinkets to hang in a garden are a unique favor guests are sure to love. If choosing a holiday ornament, pick out a plain design option with a little touch of flare, like simple wooden ornaments with a little metallic paint to add some sophistication. Add a little tag to thank your guests and everyone will enjoy their new ornament.

Monogrammed items. A popular choice for many couples are monogramed items like mugs, ceramic tiles or small wine glasses. These favors can be beautiful as well as useful. The only issue with monograming items is the cost. If you are on a tight wedding budget, choose smaller items to have monogramed to keep the price under control.

DIY food kits. Fun and creative, do-it-yourself food kits are a terrific way to express thanks in a unique way. Cute little personalized packets of hot chocolate, ready to assemble and roast smores, un-popped pop-corn or even ground coffee packets are delightful little gifts for your guests. Choose a food item you both love, something that is special to you to share with your guests. Add a little tag or message and you will have the perfect favor for your big day.

There are so many wonderful ideas for creating the perfect wedding favors for your guests. Just remember, whatever you choose, keep it simple and let it reflect you and your fiancé’s personality. Your guests will love it.

So, you’ve found and secured the perfect Wisconsin Dells wedding venue and you’re planning the rest of your wedding to match this perfect location. The flowers will be stunning, the food will be 5-star, your fiancé will have the perfect three-piece suit with the perfect tie to reflect your wedding colors. And the dress, the dress is absolutely breathtaking and you couldn’t be happier. Now it’s time to choose the perfect shoes to match your perfect day.

When picking out shoes for your wedding, the most important thing to remember is comfort. You will be on your feet for much of the day, talking with family and loved ones, dancing, exchanging vows. If you don’t usually wear heals this isn’t the time to invest in a pair of stilettos and hope for the best. Equally important, the barefoot trend, though carefree and fun, can get you into trouble especially if you are planning an outdoor wedding. Nature can be unforgiving on bare feet.

The next thing to consider is style. Will this be a strictly black-tie event with all the elegance and finery or a more laid-back affair? For high-end, formal weddings and receptions classic choices like white lace or satin heals or flats will be an appropriate choice to go with the theme. If your day will be more relaxed, shoes like satin ballet slippers, decorated flip-flops and even custom tennis shoes will add the right touch of individuality and fun to your big day.

Choosing a color other than white, a color that complements your wedding or even your bride’s maids’ dress color adds a nice splash of flare to your wedding. Or choosing a nice neutral color with a sensible heal will let you use your shoes after the wedding, making them a nice reminder of your big day.

Whatever shoe style or trend you decide to go with, remember this is your day and your shoes should reflect your style. Have fun shopping!

Your Wedding date is picked, your dress shopping has begun and you are searching through the most beautiful barn wedding venues in Wisconsin. You have a vision in your mind how glorious your big day is going to be and now it’s time to pick out the perfect invitations. The following are few tips to help you pick out the perfect invites to your perfect day:

• Your invitation should reflect you and your fiancé’s personality. If you both enjoy the outdoors consider more natural tones with wildlife touches (i.e.: vine work, scenic picture in the background, etc.).

• Will you have a picture of you and your fiancé or no picture? Traditionally, wedding invitations have had a lovely picture of the happy couple, which let distant friends and family know what the couple look like. With today’s technology and the prolific sharing of photos, invitation pictures are on the decline. If you have your heart set on a gorgeous picture of you two in each invitation, then add one.

• Going green by skipping paper all together is also a trend as well. With little to no cost you can upload photos and details, complete with an RSVP that’s just a tap away, to invite your wedding guests. The only drawback to this kind of invite; you will need all the guests’ current emails which may be harder to get than actual addresses.

• Use wedding colors as your invite inspiration or keep it a simple black and white. While bold and bright colors will definitely get the invitees attention, you can’t go wrong with the simple elegance of a black and white invite. One word of caution: go easy on the color and remember less is more. Color on a wedding invite should give the right pop and not be garish.

• Gold and silver foil can give a touch of class to your invitations. Whether gold or silver foil envelope liners or lettering, a little shine will grab attention and add beauty to your invitations. If choosing color and metallic foil, be sure they complement and don’t clash with each other.
The most important aspect about your wedding invitations? That they are uniquely yours.

The details of a wedding can seem never ending. After souring all the wedding venues in Wisconsin, you’ve decided to have a lovely, rustic-chic barn wedding. You have the decorations, invitations, colors and save the date cards all ready to go; but what about the food? Creating the perfect ambience for your wedding means creating a reception feast that reflects your big day.

Buffet or Sit Down

As you budget for your wedding reception dinner you will need to decide whether you want a buffet style reception meal or a sit-down meal. A buffet offers more food options, allowing guests to choose their own food and gives off a casual feel—perfect for a barn wedding. However, a buffet meal can mean long lines and take away from a more elegant affair.

A sit-down reception meal is more formal, requiring waiters to deliver food by the plate. While this is the more elegant option, there isn’t much food choice for the guests and this option can sometimes be a little pricey.

Choose Your Food

As you prepare your menu, it’s easy to get carried away with all the culinary possibilities. Remember to keep it simple as you plan. Consider two types of meat options with simple side dishes that will complement each entrée. For instance; if you choose to have a beef or chicken option, roasted potatoes, salad and rolls would pair perfectly with each.

Work with your caterer on presentation and seasoning possibilities to turn a simple dinner into a memorably delicious meal.

Keep it Seasonal

Working with seasonal ingredients will help keep the meal fresh while also protecting the budget. Seasonal fruits and vegetables usually cost less and are at the peak of freshness which will enhance your reception meal. As you plan your menu, consider different ways to incorporate seasonal items into the meal. For example; watermelon brings a crisp and sweet taste to a salad and when frozen, can be blended into cool and refreshing drink options.

Whatever menu you choose for your big day, remember to do some homework and find a good caterer who will help you be creative with your reception feast.

Planning for your big day means planning for a day to remember, a day that reflects you and your love. While considering local Wisconsin wedding venues, especially barns, be sure to know what the location offers and what barn safety standards have been met and if they are state compliant.

Due to the popularity of Barn venues and the increase in dairy barns being converted to wedding facilities new legislation will soon be in place allowing only those who meet all safety requirements to remain open. It would be unfortunate to plan so far in advance only to be told your venue has been closed.

The Swan Barn Door was built new and complies to with all state required ADA ( Americans with Disabilities Act), Fire Sprinklers, fire alarm, path of Egress and emergency lighting requirements. All the large wooden beams including the hardwood pins with mortise and tenon joinery were engineered and approved by the State of Wisconsin. This insures the safety and comfort to the public in this commercially compliant venue, but still maintains the rustic charm found only in turn of the century timber framing.

The Swan Barn Door is open year round which means we have central heat and air, indoor ADA bathrooms and handicap accessible exterior cedar decks and a large outdoor ceremony site.

If you are looking for the rustic elegance of a barn wedding with safety and comfort for you and your guests, The Swan Barn Door can provide the necessities to make your special day the day you’ve been dreaming of without the safety concerns.

The stress of planning your perfect day can really take a toll on you especially if trying to stay within a budget. Here are some things you can do yourself to save money and what to hire out professionally.

What to DIY:

Flowers and Table Centerpieces. Here’s something that you can do yourself for a fraction of the cost of paying a florist. For a rustic wedding, try wildflowers in mason jars wrapped in twine. Check out our Pinterest page for lots of rustic ideas on wedding flowers and centerpieces.

Invites. By doing your own invitations, you save a ton of money but also can give them a more personal touch to show your personalities shine as a couple. The Internet offers so many options on Save-The-Date postcards and wedding invitations.

First Dance/Bridal Party Dance. The internet once again can be your instructor. YouTube has videos for every kind of dance you could imagine. Have a special one planned for your first dance and a fun group one for your bridal party.

Refreshments. There are a lot of beers and wines that are inexpensive if you buy in larger quantities. Just pick two kinds of each and you then create your own signature drink that reflects you as a couple. Buying liquor and mixers can get really costly.

What to Hire Professionally:

Food/Catering. Think you’re a great cook and your family wants to help? Trust me, cooking on a large scale is an entirely different animal. Plan a seasonal but simple menu with a caterer and leave that stress to them. You will definitely not regret hiring this task out.

Photography. This is one of the most important days in your life. It’s best to have a professional with experience in lighting and angles to get the right shots. Plus a professional will make it their main focus, not your best friend’s brother who would rather be having a drink at the bar.

Wedding Planner. Sure, you are organized and planned your wedding like a professional. But consider a day-of planner to make sure all your plans run smooth. This will let you kick back and enjoy your perfect day.

Music: DJ or band. This is another way to reflect your personalities as a couple and make your wedding reception interactive. Be sure the performers, whether DJ or a live band, take requests from the guests for the most fun!

Want to plan a successful retreat? Here’s some tips that will encourage attendance and give you rave reviews.

1. Develop a Theme for Your Retreat. A theme gives your retreat focus and should relate to your group’s purpose. Give it a cool title to create excitement and encourage participation.

2. Research Your Retreat. You want your participants to contribute and be engaged. Plan your retreat so they are encouraged to participate. It should be a balance between work and fun.

4. Establish a Good Facilitator. This will ensure smooth running of your retreat and keep it on task. It also ensures objectivity.

5. Arrange for a Note Taker. This will provide a record of key points and results to refer back to later.

6. Select a Great Venue. It should offer comfortable accommodations, great service and food, and the equipment needed to present any information. Natural light would also be a great thing to encourage positive spirit.

7. Get Feedback from Participants. You can find multiple free surveys online. Be sure to make them anonymous for best results.

8. Reserve Your Space. Some venues will need reservations up to a year in advance. This way you can publicize and market your retreat once you secure a date.

9. Use Marketing Materials. Send out marketing materials at least two months in advance. Set the registration deadline at least 10 days before event, and use an “early bird” discount if people sign up before the deadline.

10. Provide Details for Your Participants. Give your participants directions to the facility, a schedule and “what to bring” and what will be provided.

Looking for that perfect space for your next retreat? Consider The Swan Barn Door for your venue conveniently located in beautiful Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Save the date for your event today at The Swan Barn Door by going to the Save the Date page or click here. Please book for your special day as 2016 dates are going fast!